This Time I'll Save the World
by throwingsomeshade
Summary: Since her childhood, Amy Rose never felt good enough for her long time crush, Sonic the Hedgehog. Wanting to prove her worth, she forms her own team, setting out to become the greatest heroes of Mobius. She learns more about her mentors and the underground to society than ever expected. Is being a hero as cracked out as it seems? And who is that guy that looks like Shadow? SONAMY.


**New story! I'm a sucker for Amy Rose and Sonamy so you know what's coming. This story doesn't pertain to any specific Sonic universe. I have characters from Archie, the games and Boom, so it'll be a fun mix… aka Christ isn't invited. **

**For Amy's character I'm leaning towards the more mature Boom version of her, but still having a bit of that classic Amy in the mix. This whole story will be told from the point of view of Amy. **

**I'm not sure exactly what genres to put this under cause there will be a few more than just two (adventure, friendship, romance, drama, humor and a bit of horror later on). But I'll just stick to adventure and friendship.**

**For some reference, here are the ages of the main characters:**

**Amy, Tails, Espio: 18**

**Cream, Charmy: 16**

**Sonic, Sally, Knuckles, Rouge: 21**

**Vector: 24**

**Shadow: really old, really reaching that grandpa status**

**Summary: Amy Rose is tired of being considered another side kick. It's about time she steps up and saves the world for anyone to take her seriously. Only maybe the forces of evil are too big for any hero. **

**Chapter 1**

**No More Sidekick**

* * *

Being a hero is bullshit. There I said it. Go ahead and tell Sonic on me, I don't care anymore. At the end of the day they'll all screw you over, even him.

They're like the popular kids at a lunch table. They'll talk to you as you pass them by, but you can never sit with them. Maybe every once in awhile they'll throw you a bone and give you a pity invite that expires when the bell rings. Then again what do I know? I never went to a traditional high school.

Maybe I'm being a bit rash. Scratch that, I know I definitely am. I've been bettering myself lately by trying to grow up, most of it coming naturally. A part of that is thinking first and acting later. So here I am thinking first.

I don't hate Sonic. In fact, I've been in love with him for as long as I could remember. He was my childhood crush that just kept growing more and more into something I still can't wrap myself around. He also happens to be my hero. My hero that can annoy the crap out of me.

The "end of day" I mentioned is referring to specifically today. There's always a limit as to how much a person can take. My limit as to how often I'll let heros belittle me has been met. I'm done being some useless side kick.

It was supposed to be a good day. Tails was throwing a little get together for an old friend in town. He was keeping it a surprise, not dropping any hints. I asked him a million times to just tell me who it was, but he wouldn't give me a single clue. I had no idea who to expect.

That's exactly why when I had called Sonic this morning to hang out- no, I won't call it a date although it would've been pretty damn close- I almost peed myself when Sally-fricking-Acorn answered the phone.

...

I slammed the phone down like my life depended on it. Why was my heart beating so fast? It hurt. It hurt a lot.

I knew that voice. I haven't heard it in years. It was slightly deeper, which just added more womanly charm to her.

Sally Acorn.

She was at Sonic's house! Why was she there? She seemed pretty comfortable to answer his _cell phone_ for him. Unless he was hanging over the edge of a literal cliff, no one answered his phone for him.

Well except that one time I called him and he answered from the edge of a cliff.

I paced back and forth in my kitchen, unsure of what to do with myself.

The friend Tails kept mischievously mentioning had to of been Sally. What other old friend is there? I feel kind of dumb for not thinking of her before. Then again maybe I was just really hoping it wouldn't be her.

Now I had to face her in a few hours?

I nearly leapt out of my skin when my phone started ringing. It was Sonic calling me back. I forgot about caller ID.

I contemplated not answering it altogether, but I knew that would just be suspicious.

I inhaled deeply, trying to compose myself without breaking a sweat.

Like ripping off a bandaid, I picked up the phone in a hurried motion. "Hello, Amy Rose speaking," I made sure to give my best chipper voice. Unfortunately, it came out too high and I was practically shouting.

"Amy?"

I left out a long sigh of relief. It was just Sonic. Despite the thought that Sally could be standing right next to him on the other end, I still felt comforted hearing his voice.

"What's up?" A calm smile stretched across my face.

"Not much, you just called, right?"

Oh, right. _That._ "Yeah, sorry about that," I forced a laugh while toying with the hem of my skirt. "I meant to call someone else and accidentally pressed your name. Guess I didn't hang up fast enough."

"Okay," he drew out his voice. I could clearly imagine him raising a confused eyebrow while staring at a wall. Definitely not him exchanging a look with Sally. "So I'll see you later tonight, right?"

I nodded my head, realizing after a moment he couldn't see me. "I mean yeah- yes, I'll be there."

"Alright, Tails wants me to help with some set up that I was supposed to do yesterday so I best be going now."

I laughed. Leave it to the fastest guy in the world to be a procrastinator. "You better before he builds a robot to take your place."

I heard his chuckle before hanging up. I leaned against my counter as the line went dead, feeling a wave of numbness wash over me.

Sally was here now and with Sonic. I could never compete with her. Not then, when I was 8 years old with wild, spiky hair, and certainly not now. I cringed thinking about my yellow tutu.

I looked down at my clothes now, hoping that my fashion sense has improved in some way. I always stuck to skirts. I've gone through many experimental colors, but found that I'm best when I stick to mostly pinks and reds. Sometimes I'll wear blue when I want Sonic to know that I'm thinking of him. It usually went over his head otherwise he never mentioned it.

I tried not to worry about my appearance that often, but now tonight was a game changer.

I rushed in front of the mirror, looking over my outfit. I had on a loose burgundy skirt that had buttons going down the side. It was my favorite and usually helped me walk with confidence, but I suddenly felt silly for wearing skirts all the time. Like a child playing dress up.

I needed consolidation.

My purple socks were barely pulled up and over my knees as I half tripped out my front door. I took long strides, hoping it would help me move faster. Although those efforts were futile considering my short legs.

In a matter of minutes I was making my way up Cream's driveway. I skipped a porch step, arriving more gracefully than my departure. I rapidly knocked on her front door, hoping the urgency was loud and clear.

Vanilla opened the door, fondly smiling down at me. A gust of sweet, warm air washed over me, swarming all my senses. Her bangs were pulled back and an apron was snuggly tied onto her. She was baking.

"Hi, Amy."

Before I had the chance to respond, Cream popped her head in between her mom and the door. In her motion, she pushed her mom back a few steps. "I heard your emergency knocks!" Creams eyes were wide and eager.

Over her shoulder Vanilla smiled and shook her head, probably internally thinking something about "crazy teenagers." She disappeared back into their kitchen.

My mouth began to water at the thought that some of her desserts would be for the party. I always tried my best when it came to baking, but Vanilla held years of delicious experience that brought her treats to perfection.

"Amy!"

Cream brought my mind back to the issue at hand.

The panic in me returned like a tsunami. My palms began to sweat.

"Were you listening?"

I shook my head. "No," I admitted with an honest shrug.

"What's wrong?"

I leaned in, fearing that someone might be listening despite our privacy, "I know who the surprise guest is."

Cream pulled me in by the wrist, slamming the door shut behind her. "You do? Who?"

I knew the suspense had been killing her just as much. No one knew who the secret guest of honor was, save for Tails… and apparently Sonic.

"Take a wild guess; it begins with an S and rhymes with 'Rally Racorn.'"

Cream's mouth hung open in surprise. "Sally?!" Her voice echoed throughout the whole house.

I quickly shushed her and put my hand over her mouth. Vanilla curiously stuck her head in the doorway with an arched brow. I gave an awkward half wave before bolting up the stairs with Cream in tow.

I threw myself onto Cream's bed, pressing my face into her pillow and letting out a long groan.

"This isn't the worst thing ever," I heard Cream pull out her swivel chair from her vanity. "Sally has always been nice, except for those few times she's gotten angry but that was all justified."

I rolled over, propping myself up on my elbows. Cream sat up straight with her hands on her lap, facing me in a much calmer manner than myself. I didn't realize I walked myself into a therapy session.

"The problem isn't how nice she is," I scoffed. "I can't compete with her. I couldn't when I was a kid and I definitely can't now."

"Who said anything about a competition?"

I laid back, staring up at the ceiling. Like my own room, we had covered Cream's in glow in the dark stars. During the day they were nothing impressive. You'd never notice them unless you were looking for them.

Her voice played over and over in my mind. The way she answered with a slight chuckle in her voice gave away that they _had_ to of been enjoying each other's company. Of course after all these years they still had a spark that I never ignited.

Sonic and I had grown close after all of this time. He was one of my best friends and vice versa. We saw each other almost every day, even if just for a few minutes. Whenever Eggman came around, I was a part of the team that he entrusted to have his back. It was fun despite being work.

Outside of battling bad guys, we'd go on runs together. Well, Sonic would do the running and he'd carry me on his back. On occasion, no matter how much he protested, he'd slow down with me and participate in my own hobbies- baking, scrapbooking, and ice cream.

Most people say ice cream isn't a hobby but I firmly disagree.

And before anyone thinks I'm making this all up, I have the call receipts of Sonic asking _me_ to hang out, not just the other way around. He's enjoyed my company.

If we went too long without seeing each other, I'd miss him to the point where my leg would bounce, wanting to march right over to his house. This was all because I loved him. I loved being able to wrap my arms around his neck and rest my head on his shoulder as he carried me on a run. Or how our shoulders would bump as we walked side by side. Or after a battle he would praise me while gently touching my arm.

My favorite is when he compliments me while flicking my bang. I always respond with a tease and a punch of the shoulder, saying how he couldn't manage without me. He never denied it.

I figured if not already he would eventually come to share my feelings.

But Sally was his first love. I still haven't gotten over mine, how could I expect him to be over his when it's _Sally_?

"She answered his cell phone, Cream." I let out a long sigh, rummaging up my sad energy to prop myself up once more. "I called Sonic and Sally answered."

"That can't mean much." While I knew she had a point, Cream's doubtful expression gave away that she didn't completely believe herself either.

"Whatever it means doesn't change the fact that she's the ex that dumped him. Every other girl falls head over heels for his looks but she's the one that got away."

I slid off the bed, opting to sit on the floor. The feeling of being in a therapist's office was getting too creepy.

"If we're speaking in terms of a competition, then you do have something over her head." Cream bounced down to my side, giving me a half hug. Bless this sweet little bunny and her warm hugs.

"What's that?"

"Years of friendship!" I rolled my eyes at her cheesy answer. "I'm being serious! Sally has been gone while we've all grown up. You've grown up too! It's been about 10 years since I last saw her. Honestly, I barely remember her."

I nawed on the inside of my cheek. This didn't help my hunger in anyway.

Cream was onto something, although it wasn't completely comforting.

"They were pre-teens when they dated," she continued, giving me a light squeeze. "Those relationships barely count. Sonic grew up and guess who was there for him throughout all of his crucial teen years? Not Sally."

"You do have a point."

"I know I do. See, Amy, if there's a competition, then you've got first prize."

The corner of my mouth twitched. I knew coming to Cream was the right idea. But doubt still hung in the back of my mind. A weight hung on my shoulders that I couldn't shake off.

I stood up and looked at myself in the mirror. The fact that I wasn't happy was as clear as writing "SAD" across my forehead.

I ran my fingers through my thick quills, trying to straighten them out. They fell just below my shoulders, some curling slightly at the ends.

Cream stood up, looking at me through the mirror. "I think Amy Rose needs a little confidence boost."

She walked over to her vanity. Reaching into a drawer, she pulled out a small makeup bag.

I sat down on the swivel chair, rotating back and forth in a slow rhythm. "I don't know if a makeover will make me feel better."

"Not a makeover, silly," she flicked my top bang just as Sonic would. "This is just a beauty enhancement. It's the little touches that'll bring out your best features."

"A shallow solution but I am no enemy to mascara." I gave one last look to myself in the mirror before completely turning to Cream, letting her take control of my face. I knew how to apply basic make up myself, but it was a sisterly bond to have her do it.

Cream began to brush my eyelashes with the mascara wand, slightly parting her mouth as she concentrated. "Don't worry, you'll feel better in no time."

In the end, Cream had only applied the mascara and some highlighter. I did feel better and more comfortable with myself. My eyes, although the same, still somehow looked rounder and brighter. They reminded me of the glow in the dark stars at night.

Too bad feeling "better" was only fleeting.

...

Cream and I arrived together, holding trays of freshly baked cupcakes. Vanilla had taken the time to make a batch of my favorite strawberry cupcakes with whipped frosting and jelly filling. Everyone knew better than to touch these bad boys before I had a chance.

Before we even entered the house I heard the cluster of lively chattered. Usually I would be bouncing with excitement, but right now I wondered if I could still bolt.

We let ourselves in, being familiar enough with Tails that this space became a second home.

Unlike most homes with all male roommates, Sonic and Tails kept theirs relatively clean. This was due to the fact that neither used all of the rooms on a daily basis.

Whenever he wasn't out running around, Sonic was holed up in his bedroom. For someone who could run at the speed of sound, he was exceptionally lazy. I always wondered if he used more energy than normal mobians and thus required many more hours of sleep. I've seen a gaming console along with a TV in his room but never actually saw him use it. He occasionally went to the kitchen for food, but it was obvious he wasn't much of a chef.

Tails utilized the house much more. It was as if he was the landlord and Sonic was a tenant. Going through the home, about 90% of all objects were property of Tails. He remained in the garage that doubled as his office space for the bulk of his time. The dining and living rooms were only in use during our parties.

The collective heat in the humid day was almost suffocating. It crammed inside the house, only growing with the continuous conversations. I had been inside only for a few seconds and already wanted to step out for some fresh air.

The AC must be broken again.

I passed the stairs and headed straight into the kitchen.

I heard her voice before I saw her.

Be cool, Amy.

I kept walking forward, forcing my hands to remain steady to not drop the cupcakes anywhere. I would die before I let all of Vanilla's hard work go to waste.

I set the tray down on the counter, figuring that one strawberry cupcake is going to be the highlight of my night.

Her laugh echoed from the dining room, bringing with it the warm rays of the early sunrise. What could be that funny?

Ignoring the cautious look Cream gave me when she thought I wouldn't notice, I marched right into the dining room.

The second I stepped past the doorway, our group of friends greeted us with mini cheers and shouts of our names. The positive energy was contagious.

I gave a general wave before lining a path to greet everyone individually. My eyes passed over Sonic and Sally, who were talking in the corner opposite from me. Those two definitely will be last- if I even make it to them.

Knuckles waved me over once he caught my eye. Despite being such a hothead, it was nice seeing him in a relaxed atmosphere. He leaned back on the table, crossing his muscular arms across his chest. His bright red fur took away from the aggression that his stance and sharp knuckles amplified, making him much more approachable.

Sticks sat on the table at his side. She dressed in her normal home made clothing, created using only recycled material. I admired her craftsmanship, even if it was all done because of her distrust in the clothing industry and not as a hobby. I'm not sure how, but I recall it having something to do with microscopic cameras.

"Hey guys," they shuffled over for me to squeeze my way between them. I opted to lean against the table rather than sit on it like Sticks. "What's going on here?"

In front of them stood Charmy and Vector, the two more outspoken members of Team Chaotix. Espio leaned against the far wall, quietly watching their antics. He usually didn't participate in the party games the others tried to bring up.

Charmy began to reshuffle a stack of cards. He fanned them out, holding them close enough to my face I leaned back. He wasn't always aware of personal space. Then again I used to have the same reputation.

"Pick a card," he commanded, adding a mysterious edge to it.

I picked a random card from the center, already wondering what trick it would be this time. Ace of hearts. How clever.

"Now put it back." I did as I was told. As Charmy began to shuffle, Vector began to ramble. It was obvious that he was doing this as a distraction from the card trick. He went on about some DJ gig he had the other week. Most of them were in nursing homes. It was rather easy to tune him out while focusing on Charmy's shaky sleight of hand.

Team Chaotix ran an infamous detective agency. They always seemed busy but never shared those stories. While I'm not sure if their work was legit, it could definitely be interesting nonetheless.

"Let's make this interesting," Charmy cleaned up the card deck, covering most of it with his hands. "Five bucks says that I can guess your card." He straightened out his jacket. It was sleek and black, probably the nicest thing he owned. I could tell it was his _special_ party jacket. He carried it with him to every gathering and only put it on when he spotted a "babe" to impress.

Five bucks says that "babe" is Sally.

I couldn't help but rolled my eyes. I heard Knuckles snort from my side. "So he's been trying to scam you out of money?" I tilted my head while nudging towards the bee in front of us.

"It's not a scam!" Charmy cut in with a dramatic guess. "There are 52 cards in this deck. The chances of me guessing your card is slim."

Even if Charmy wanted money out of me, I didn't carry any cash when I left my house. I had been in such a rush I forgot to grab my bag on my way out.

"Sounds like a scam to me."

I couldn't help but agree with Knuckles. "I'll have to pass on that offer," I gave him a pitiful half smile.

Over his shoulder Vector face palmed, looking more disappointed than ever in his apprentice. "You have to talk them up first," he muttered while stalking over to Espio's side.

Charmy glared at the other two boys before continuing with his trick. "Well then you don't get the big reveal of my magic trick."

"What trick it's in your-" Vector clamped his hand down over Espio's mouth.

I couldn't help but giggle at their antics. As unprofessional as they were, I appreciated the strong bond that knotted their tight knit group together. Their personalities clashed in the best way possible. No matter how much the group messed with one another, they laughed it off.

"Finish you're trick, Charmy, and I _might _spare you some money." It was a complete bluff, but it was also enough to inspire him to carry on his act.

The mysterious smile of a magician returned to his face. He pulled the top card off the deck, holding it up with confidence, "Is this your card?" It was a queen of spades. I shook my head, not surprised by this outcome.

He repeated the same gimmick several times, all showing up with negative outcomes. In his growing frustration, Charmy threw the cards up in the air. "I give up!"

I flinched as several hit me in their descent. Sticks let out a cry and cowered behind me. Charmy should've known better than to make any sudden movements in front of her.

Before I could make any consoling comment, thegrin returned to his face. "But wait! What is that behind your ear?" Considering our height difference, Charmy had to float to reach up behind me. My ear twitched as his hand flicked behind it. He now held a card, flipping it over to reveal the ace of hearts.

Sticks let out a yelp, clutching onto my arm. "How did you do that? Must've been some sort of dark magic! I know your type!"

If Charmy wanted to impress anyone with his amateur sleight of hand, Sticks is definitely his targeted audience.

I slipped out of her grasp and began to back away. I already had my fill of party tricks for the day.

Espio muttered something about Charmy sliding the card through his jacket. The bee promptly responded by yelling over his voice to avoid his secrets being revealing.

I couldn't help but giggle at his childish bliss. It must've been nice to be Charmy. We were almost the same age but he seemed to live without any cares that plagued most teenagers.

Once I backed far enough from the scene, I spun on my heel to find another group to mingle in. Unfortunately, I should've been paying more attention to my surroundings because now I stood directly in front of Sally and Sonic. It was too late to dart away or pretend as if I hadn't noticed them. Both of their eyes looked up at me, expecting some type of conversation.

Seeing Sally up close brought all my nerves back. She was more beautiful than ever. I felt overdressed, noticing that she stuck to her natural beauty over makeup. Her red hair definitely thickened over the years. It was full and curled down her back. She wore a blue tube top with matching shorts that brought out the sparkle in her eyes. Her soft brown fur and small pointed nose prevented her more vibrant features from being sore on the eyes. Blue always looked well with her.

"Oh, hey Amy." Sonic leaned against the table. His wide grin deflated a bit into a more casual smile. What could they have been talking about that was so funny?

Sally sat in a chair facing him. She got up and suddenly enveloped me into a hug. It caught me off guard. By the time I processed it, she was already pulling away while my arms hadn't moved from their stiff position down at my sides.

She had never been a hugger. I remember that clearly. It was usually myself that hugged people when I saw them. I never clomped Sally into a loving squeeze purely because she never hugged anyone.

Well anyone other than her ex boyfriend.

"Little Amy Rose," she sighed as she looked me over. "It's so good to see you." Her voice was as soothing in person as it had been over the phone, maybe even more so without the static to alter it.

"It's good to see you too." It wasn't a complete lie. Despite my frustration, she had been a good mentor to me. As a kid, I admired her for her strong leadership. It was hard to hate Sally because I couldn't even hate her. She was beautiful and nice. This would be a lot easier if she had some secret agenda or mean streak.

Of course she also could have let out the "little" part. They both looked down at me with superior smiles. It was almost as if I was eight years old again.

"Sonic was filling me in on how everyone has been doing. He was just telling me that you use that hammer of yours to help battle Eggman. Last time I saw you, you only used that thing to take your anger out." Sally let out a small chuckle. I laughed along with her for a second, cutting myself off to glare at Sonic.

She was praising me like some kind of pet. Next she'll ask me to sit and roll over.

When I was younger I definitely had a temper, not anger issues. Could you blame me when I was always getting left behind? No one would let me tag along on Freedom Fighter missions. Tails was the same age as me and he was plenty involved. The only time anyone paid attention to my feelings when I angrily brought out my hammer. I couldn't laugh at the thought of younger me then during away and balling her eyes out after everyone else, including Sonic, ran away. It was pathetic.

It was time to squish the old image of me once and for all. Maybe then Sally would genuinely respect me. "Well I do more than just _help_ battle Eggman," I rolled my eyes.

"Amy's a good part of the team. She's useful against any enemy, really," Sonic quickly added.

Great. So I'm a useful tool now.

I did more than just swing my hammer around at his beck and call. After studying archeology, I helped analyze objects both inside and outside the group. It was hard but I graduated from grad school last year. I'm no genius like Tails but I got my degree as a teenager for chaos' sake. Care to mention that, Sonic?

"It's just crazy to see how much you've grown," Sally continued.

I know she meant well, but it felt like I was put on display for her and Sonic to giggle at. Now, the age difference between us didn't matter. We've all gone through puberty. Sonic and I were best friends, but now he rose up to his pedestal again. All it takes is for Sally to come around for there to be a them and me.

"I know what you mean," Sonic was speaking to Sally even though his eyes were on me. "She keeps growing up."

"I also like the upgrade from the tutu."

Okay, guys, talk about me as if I'm not standing right here.

"Don't let her looks fool you. Sometimes I still see little Amy Rose in my mind when we battle together. It blows me away."

Usually I would've been thrilled with the compliment- at least I think it was one- but here I was being singled out again. I thought as we grew older, I would be able to catch up to Sonic. But he still saw me as a little kid? Ouch.

Here Sally was being an attractive grown woman, and I was reduced to a toddler. If Sonic was gonna go for anyone, it definitely wasn't me. He wasn't into kids.

The two went on to talk, reminiscing about the "good ol' days." I didn't even know what memory they were discussing, considering I wasn't allowed to participate in most of them.

I glanced around to find my out. Rouge flashed in the corner of my eye by Knuckles for a second. When I looked over both were gone. Cream was busy in a deep conversation with Team Chaotix She was nodding politely as Charmy's mouth seemed to ramble as fast as Sonic could run.

That left Tails with Sticks, who remained sitting on the other end of the room. She was turning the cards over in her hands, closely inspecting them. I bet she was trying to find the answer to Charmy's trick in them.

I shuffled my way over, hoping to find an emotional break. I've only been here for ten minutes and I was already worn.

"Having any luck?" Sticks jumped in her skin, spinning around wide-eyed. I could practically see her dismantling the alarms in her head once she recognized me.

"No!" She threw the cards down onto the table, glaring at them as they laid fanned out. Her eyes trailed up to where I had just come from. "Who's that?"

Of course she would come and be completely oblivious to the guest of honor.

"Sally?" Tails raised an eyebrow and nudged his head towards her. "She's the old friend that came to town. Remember? The surprise?"

"Doesn't ring a bell," she stared at him with a blunt blank look. "Besides, I hate surprises."

"That's true." I shuddered, thinking about how hellish the first April fools with her had been. It took at least a month to convince her that the government wasn't out to slowly deteriorate her mind.

"Anyways, what's so special about a Sally?"

"She is the leader of the Freedom Fighters. We used to all work together back in the day," Tails summarized. I noticed how he left out the fact that she's also a princess. Sticks doesn't trust royalty.

"She also used to date Sonic." I didn't mean to bring that up, but it slipped out before I could help myself.

Tails looked me over, I could tell he was trying to analyze what was going through me head. That's something that always came with talking to a kid genius, he always looked at things like a textbook.

"I never knew Sonic had a girlfriend," she looked at him with a new wonder, as if he was an entirely different creature.

Sonic was kind of known as a playboy, despite never actually hooking up with any women. People just pegged him as one after the media noticed how girls swooned after him. It was kind of ridiculous. Sometimes their lives would be endangered but they would still find time to hit on him. At least he never reciprocated.

Don't mistake me for being one of those girls. Their feelings never went beyond the surface. I actually knew Sonic well and loved him for his charm and annoyances, his good looks were just a perk.

"I'd rather forget." I hugged myself, trying to hold everything together. I don't doubt that Sally would become another girl easily wooed by Sonic. She was one of the few that he had ever flirted with in his lifetime.

Tails hopped onto the table so we all sat side by side with me in the middle. He lightly bumped my shoulder in his friendly attempt to comfort me. "I would hardly call it dating since they were so young then."

"Well they were definitely more than friends."

"You're just jealous."

"Am not!" I really was. Do you expect me to admit to being jealous of a relationship between a couple of eleven-year-olds?

Tails leaned forward a bit, now looking around me at Sticks. "She used to obsess over Sonic. It was kind of cute; always following him around and writing him love notes." And we're back to talking about me as if I'm not sitting literally in the middle of the conversation.

My cheeks burned in embarrassment. I know that I used to be pretty obvious, but Sticks didn't need to know about all of that. And I hadn't done either of those things in years. Plus, how did he know about the letters? I never told anyone other than Cream.

I opened my mouth to give him a piece of my mind. The words never came out, interrupted by a blaring alarm going off.

Everyone expectantly looked at Tails as he turned it off by pressing a button on his watch. "It's my attack warning. Any attack in the city reported and ranked higher than a four gets sent to me." He explained mostly for Sally's sake, who nodded in understanding. "Right now we're at a five with Eggman being the culprit."

At this point, Eggman was a weekly mission. He was relatively easy to maintain, but just like a rubber ball he always managed to bounce back. A five ranking on the city's threat scale (going from one to ten) was probably an exaggeration. While we have gotten used to his presence, the other citizens have not. If anything his greatest machine was a three.

Everyone stood up, ready to head out. While the whole group had experience in fighting, the team usually just consisted of Knuckles, Sticks, Tails, Sonic and I.

Sharing my exact thoughts, Tails held up his hands to slow the crowd down before any got moving. "Not everyone has to go."

"Tails is right," Sonic easily slid up to the front of the room. I felt his hand rest on my shoulder as he passed me by and joined Tails' side. Despite being angry with him, I still appreciate the small touches. "It'll only take ten minutes at the most."

Everyone began to settle back in their relaxed positions. I remained standing and alert.

Sonic looked around the room. He stood up straighter, taller, taking on the atmosphere of a leader. For a second he looked right at me, and then I realized he was gazing beyond me. "Knuckles and Sally can tag along."

My jaw dropped. I spun my head around to look at Sally, who seemed almost as surprised as I was. She blinked a few times before looking at me with an apologetic smile.

I glanced over to Sticks, who remained completely unbothered. Feeling my stare, she glanced back at me. "What?" Of course she didn't see what was happening. She never knew Sally beforehand. She couldn't know that we were getting replaced.

"You really want me to come along?" Sally stepped forward, of course holding the graceful walk of a princess.

"Why not?" Sonic beamed at her, showing how eager he was for a battle. Fighting Eggman was almost becoming a game to him. "We haven't fought side-by-side in forever, so I figured it would be fun for old times' sake."

Similarly, I was getting left out again. The nostalgia of the situation was sickening.

"Hold down the fort for us, guys," Sonic gave a halfwave as he turned to leave. Tails gave me an awkward smile, fully aware of how bad the situation looked to me.

"Wait!" Sally spoke up before Sonic could make his exit. "What about Amy?"

I was surprised that Sally had said something. If she hadn't I would have, but then again they also had an easier time tuning out my complaints.

Sonic looked at me. I didn't bother to try to conceal the anger bubbling inside me. He knew he made a mistake. If he didn't, then he might've been the most clueless idiot in the entire world.

"I haven't teamed up with Amy much in the past. I want to see what she's got." Sally explained herself. She neglected the main reason for that was because she never let me. Although Sonic was the leader of the group, it's clear she already made the decision.

He raised an eyebrow, sending me silent questions. "Okay," Sonic finally concluded. He snapped into his carefree personality, sending us a thumbs up and a wink.

Sally beamed at me. I mustered up an appreciative smile, pressing my lips tight together.

Maybe now was a chance to finally prove myself to her. After all of these years I'll be taken seriously.

The whole time we rushed to the scene, my mind bounced between possible combination attacks I could use and hitting Sonic upside the head. Why did I still have to make a point to be allowed to be in the group? All these past years feeling secure on the team must've been a joke.

We landed in front of Eggman, cutting him off from accessing any buildings. The man jumped for a second before sending us a sneering smile. Although he tried to make himself look as menacing as possible, I could sense a hint of pure glee. He enjoyed this like a comfortable routine.

Eggman perched at the top of robot with several thick metal arms extending down to the ground. Each bore a sharp claw at the end, strong enough to grab and destroy.

"Jeez, Eggman," Sonic visibly tilted his head to look at the latest creation up and down. "You didn't get too creative with this one. You know they have these in about every comic book out there?"

Sally giggled at his taunt. The last thing we needed was for that to go to his head, it's big enough as is. Then again, if I wasn't so ticked off I probably would've done the same thing.

Eggman ignored his comment, instead narrowing his eyes down at our temporary member. "I remember you!" He pointed down to her. "You used to destroy my precious robots!"

Everyone destroys your robots, Eggman, it really isn't anything special.

To give any credit to the evil scientist, Eggman was the reason that Sally had formed the Freedom Fighters in the first place. When we all went our separate ways, he chose to follow Sonic. This left her group to move onto bigger and better things. While we have encountered greater enemies than Eggman on our own as well, we still couldn't shake the man. He was like gum stuck in our hair.

"You remember all the times we've foiled your plans?" Sonic turned back to us, but still spoke loud enough for Eggman to hear. "Take this as a lesson kids: doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result is insanity."

While Eggman let out a frustrated yell, making his move. We instantly split up, surrounding the robot. No orders needed to be said for us to know how to approach the matter. When facing robots that heavily rely on long legs or arms, the trick is to first knock out the limbs then. I noticed Sally hesitate for a second before catching on to the plan.

I flicked my wrist as I ran up to a claw sunk into the cement sidewalk. The familiar weight of my hammer appeared just in time as I swung down. The joint holding the metal cracked and fell apart, leaving the metal arm useless to grab anything.

I glanced up and looked around the group. Everyone else had respectively took out their own targeted claw. Of course, Sonic had to be the over achiever and get two. Only two limbs remained completely intact, just enough for Eggman to maintain balance of the machine.

The man angrily pressed away at his console. The center began to rise into the air, allowing for him to use the two remaining metal tubes as arms. The other six metal limbs hung as dead weight.

While Eggman was distracted with Knuckles and Sally, I found my chance. The metal arm in front of me still dragged on the ground, leaving the perfect arch to run along.

I easily hopped up, lifting my hammer high to smash the core to the robot. Confidence surged through me as I quickly approached Eggman, still undetected. I leapt into the air, letting out a cry to build up my power.

Before I could swing down, a blue ball darted in front of me. Sonic beat me to it, knocking the robot down with a spin dash. To avoid hitting him, I swung my hammer off to the side. Unable to kill the momentum, I fell off just as the rest of the robot cumbled to the ground.

The impact on the ground didn't hurt as much as my embarrassment did. I almost had it. I wasn't fast like Sonic, so there was no way he didn't see me.

As the dust settled, I remained laying on the ground, trying to give my sore back a break. The robot laid around me, dead as any old scrap metal. Eggman already managed to abandon ship and escape in the ruckus. It's impressive how fast the tubby man could move when the moment called for it.

"Are you okay?" Tails stood over me. I squinted up at him, barely able to make out his facial expression with the sun only half blocked by his head. He squatted down to my side, helping me sit up.

I looked around for our other team members. On the other side of the mess, Sonic, Sally and Knuckles enthusiastically chatted amongst themselves, ignorant to the fact that it was I who almost took down Eggman. Sally congratulated our hero. It was just another victory in their lives.

"I'm fine," I muttered.

Maybe this was why Sonic didn't want me to come along? Many times before I've had the final blow. Now that Sally was here he just wanted to show off. What a joke!

I could never have the spotlight when Sonic was around. He had a way of bringing color to the room that made my heart soar, but now it was only blinding.

I barely spoke on our way back, unable to shake my anger. Every time Tails sent a nervous glance my way I forced a smile.

I was so caught up in my head I never heard the punchline that cause Sally to laugh while casting a glance over at me. Sonic had also joined in with a small chuckle of his own. They were laughing at me.

I felt unjustly humiliated. I didn't deserve this. I could have easily taken down Eggman once and for all if I took the chance. But I never did. Why not? Because it had to be a "team" effort? Some team! It was more like Sonic the superstar and his bandwagon of friends who followed him around! If anything, Sonic only valued Knuckles and Tails as fighters. Why else would he have only invited them along? Sticks and I were probably dead weight to him.

Not anymore. I clenched and released my fist, letting the tension out. Sonic made it clear that he didn't need me on his team. That's fine. He's saved the world a handful of times before, but now it's my turn.

This time when Tails looked back at me I found a real, genuine grin on my face.

So yeah, in conclusion, I'm going to be better than any bullshit hero.

* * *

**I want to clarify that there is no Sonally or Shadamy in this story. I don't want to go down the path of "Sonic and Sally are dating and Amy is heartbroken and tries to move on so she starts dating Shadow and Sonic gets jelly and realizes that he *GASP* had feelings for her all along." I know it's a very done subplot. **

**I'm not draggin anyone who has written those. Some of my favorite fics have that. I've written stories where that's happened. But it won't be in this story.**

**I'm not going to make Sally out to be a villain. This whole story is from Amy's point of view and even she has said no matter how much she wants to she can't hate Sally.**

**So there's the first chapter. I'm pretty pumped for this story. I hope you guys enjoyed the first chapter. Feel free to leave any reviews! **

* * *

I slammed the phone down like my life depended on it. Why was my heart beating so fast? It hurt. It hurt a lot.

I knew that voice. I haven't heard it in years. It was slightly deeper, which just added more womanly charm to her.

Michelle Obama.


End file.
